


or you could be more

by thesiege



Category: Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - No Powers, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Family, Fluff, Humor, Maybe a little angst, Romance, Slow Burn, i love my brotps ok, i think? i mean how slow is slow, lots of brotps, lots of feels, mostly light-heartedness
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-12
Updated: 2017-01-13
Packaged: 2018-09-17 00:35:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 1,792
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9296450
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thesiege/pseuds/thesiege
Summary: look, i say, it's you. it's you when i'm lost, or forgotten. you make me better, you make me more, and i just wish you could understand—it's only you.(title from "I Wrote This for You" by pleasefindthis aka Iain S. Thomas){insert standard disclaimer here}





	1. hey, soul sister

**Author's Note:**

> you see I can be myself now finally  
> in fact there's nothing I can't be  
> —"hey, soul sister" (train)
> 
> (Yes, I know the song "Hey, Soul Sister" is not platonic but I like the title, okay?)
> 
> Just some sister interactions, to start off!

Tina sighs as she pulls out a cushioned chair and collapses into it, dumping her heavy backpack onto the table. Its contents crash loudly and the sound echoes throughout the cafe, drawing the attention of exhausted students. She winces and smiles apologetically at them, and they roll their eyes and return to their studies.

“You should be more gentle with your things, Teenie,” Queenie admonishes as she glides over with Tina’s usual, a large mocha. “You’ll have no one but yourself to blame if something breaks.”

“There’s nothing in here but books.” Tina takes a sip of her drink, melting a little at its warmth. She begins unpacking, throwing a glance at the clock mounted on the wall. “Aren’t you off?”

Queenie bites her lip. “I  _ may _ have taken an extra long break earlier. But for good reason!”

Tina sends her sister a dry look. “Again? You’re lucky you haven’t been fired.”

“Oh, Mr. Abernathy likes me too much to fire me,” Queenie says absently as she cleans off the neighboring table.

Tina grimaces. “Queenie—”

“Don’t worry, Teen, he won’t do anything to me!” Queenie beams. “He can’t even hold a conversation with me when I bat my eyes at him.”

Tina rolls her eyes with a smile. “If you say so.”

“You know I’d tell you if anything happened to me,” Queenie laughs before sweeping back into the kitchen.

Tina shakes her head at her sister’s antics and takes another sip of her mocha before cracking open a sociology textbook to start on her notes.


	2. brotha from anotha motha

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Hey, I think this is the start of a beautiful, lifelong friendship. Or something.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the title lmao. I couldn't really think of anything!
> 
> Intro to Newt and Jacob and their new friendship! 
> 
> Like I mentioned in the tags, I'm all for brotps, and I'm definitely gonna have some Tina/Jacob bonding, because there was a distinct lack of it in the movie. I mean, we had Newtina obvs, we had Jakweenie double obvs, we had Queenie/Newt moments, but—well, I guess Tina and Jacob were never left alone together. Hm. Hopefully they have some bonding time in future movies (cuz apparently there are 4 more??? Like YES????).

Newt stops outside his apartment, staring at the number 407 with mixed emotions. For the briefest moment, he wonders if he made the wrong the decision to transfer all the way to America just to get away from some bad memories, but he quickly shakes the fears from his mind, squaring his shoulders as he opens the door. “Worrying means you suffer twice,” is his philosophy.

He hauls his suitcase inside and looks around the living room. It’s spacious and neat, and he thinks he’ll get some good use out of it, if his roommate doesn’t mind animals. There’s a small but clean and well-furnished kitchen tucked off to the side, and a narrow corridor leading to two doors, which he assumes are the bedrooms. He leaves his luggage by the door and treks towards the doors, wondering if his roommate has already moved in.

One of the doors is slightly open; Newt hears humming and movement from inside. He hesitates, then knocks firmly.

There’s a curse and a crash before the door flings open and Newt finds himself staring at a short and chubby man.

“Um, hello,” Newt greets carefully with an awkward smile. “I’m your roommate, Newt Scamander.”

“Oh, hey, it’s great to meet you!” The shorter man breaks into a large smile and sticks out his hand. “Jacob Kowalski. Are you British?”

Newt shakes his hand and nods.

“Wow, that’s so cool. What made you decide to study in America?”

Newt shrugs. “Wanted a change of scenery.”

Jacob laughs. “I can understand that. Oh, I’m a freshman, by the way.”

“I’m sorry?”

“Freshman.” Jacob frowns at Newt’s unchanging confusion. “Er, first-year?”

“Ah!” Newt smiles. “Right, well, I’m a third-year, I believe. It doesn’t—translate exactly.” He makes some vague gestures with his hands, but Jacob seems to understand.

“Oh, wow, so what’re you studying?” Jacob asks eagerly.

“I’m aiming to be a veterinarian,” Newt declares proudly. “I’ve always gotten on quite well with animals. Speaking of, would you mind terribly if I have animals in here? I’ll understand if you’re uncomfortable, of course—”

“No, no, feel free! I like animals, though I dunno how they feel about me.” Jacob grins. “And I hope you’re okay with eating lotsa bread. I, uh, I really like to bake so there’s gonna be a lotta that.”

Newt beams back. “I have no objections whatsoever.”


	3. a wild turkey appears

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Title says it all, really.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A chance meeting! I didn't really know how I wanted Newt and Tina to meet, but when I started typing this happened so.
> 
> Don't worry, we'll get some Queenie soon!

Tina is so immersed in her thoughts cataloguing all the work she has to do before the end of the week that she almost misses the loud yell of pain from behind her. It startles her out of her thoughts and despite being appallingly busy, her curiosity gets the best of her.

She turns around and slowly makes her way through the bushes and trees to find two boys facing off against a wild turkey. One boy, the rounder one, is rolling on the ground holding his head while the other, tall and lanky, stands in front of him with his arms outstretched towards the animal in a placating gesture.

“What the heck are they doing?” she mutters to herself as she picks her way through leaves and branches.

“—it’s alright, I won’t hurt you,” the taller one says calmly.

_ He’s British _ , Tina notes with some surprise. She glances at the boy on the ground and spots a bit of blood on his hands. Worry rises in her like the tide and she hurries to his side, pulling him farther from the animal.

“Huh—wha—who—” the boy splutters, but Tina shushes him and pushes his hands away to get a better look, wincing at the head wound. It’s not large or deep, but head wounds tend to look worse than they really are.

“We have to stop the bleeding,” she murmurs absently, taking one of his hands and pressing it on the cut. He hisses in pain and she utters an apology.

She looks up: the other boy is still trying to talk to the turkey. Rolling her eyes, she calls quietly, “Hey! Your friend’s hurt, you know?”

He spares a glance at her, confusion crossing his freckled face at the sight of her. “Um, yes, well—”

“Don’t you think you should be helping him?” she stares at him pointedly.

His eyes flit back to the turkey, who is ruffling its feathers in agitation. “But the turkey—”

“—is wild and needs to be left alone!” she finishes with no small amount of frustration.

“Newt, I told you so,” the wounded boy groans.

The tall boy—Newt, apparently—sighs and slowly backs away from the bird. As soon as he turns his attention to his friend, the turkey squawks and runs off.

“Sorry, Jacob,” Newt says sincerely as he looks over his friend. “It’s not serious, though.”

Tina rolls her eyes again. “Help me get him up. My sister works nearby, she’ll have stuff to patch him up.”

Newt stares at her for a second before exhaling and tossing one of Jacob’s arms around his neck. Tina does the same with the other arm, and together they hobble through campus.

“So, erm, where exactly does your sister work?” Newt finally asks after several minutes of uncomfortable silence.

“Cafe Piccolo,” Tina grunts.

“I see.”

She feels his gaze on her, so she clears her throat and asks, “I’m Tina. What’s your name?”

“Hm? Oh, I’m Newt. Nice to meet you.” She watches him smile a little awkwardly. “Uh, this is my friend and roommate Jacob.”

“Pleasure,” Jacob drawls, mildly delirious. “Hey, why’s it feel like an elephant’s running around in my head?”

“Oh god, I hope you don’t have a concussion.” Tina grimaces. “So Newt. What were you doing with that turkey?”

He clears his throat. “I, erm, I suppose I was—curious.”

“Curious,” Tina deadpans. “About—”

“About the turkey, yes. I’ve never seen one in person before.”

“Uh-huh. And how did Jacob get hurt?”

Newt clears his throat again. “I—it was a miscalculation on my part. I didn’t expect it to be so...aggressive.”

“Hm. Well, Newt, I’d strongly advise against interacting with any other wild animals you see on campus. Except maybe the squirrels. They’re used to humans.”

“Right, well, I just—I’m studying to be a veterinarian, you see, because I think animals are fascinating, so I—I can’t promise not to leave an injured animal alone, wild or not.”

“But the turkey wasn’t injured.”

“Yes, that, erm.” He sounds embarrassed now. “That was just curiosity, I’m afraid.”

Tina can’t help the amused snort that escapes her as she slants a look at him. He meets her gaze with surprise and the beginning of a smile.

“Are we there yet?” Jacob suddenly croaks, his head lolling on his shoulders as blood continues to trail down his face.

“Oh! Uh, almost, just a little further,” Tina hastily replies. She frowns to herself and doesn’t speak again, ignoring Newt’s questioning gaze.


	4. start of something new

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Queenie and Jacob have a nice conversation; Tina and Newt are party poopers.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am like so impatient to write Newtina BUT. It's not time yet! ARRRRGH. Have some Jakweenie instead!

Queenie giggles at Jacob’s dreamy stare, ignoring Tina’s heavy sigh a few tables down. She’s sure Tina regrets bringing Jacob here last week to get patched up, but Queenie thinks her sister has never made a better decision in her life.

Plus, she knows Tina is intrigued by Mr. Englishman Newt, and vice versa. It’s so  _ obvious _ it makes Queenie exasperated to be in the same space as those two because they’re both so awkward around each other.

Whatever. Newt and Tina are free to be awkward and studious together, but  _ she _ is going enjoy Jacob’s company to the fullest.

“So Jacob, you said you like to bake?” Queenie asks eagerly.

He nods, smiling dopily.

“Oh, that’s excellent! I  _ love _ to cook! We should cook together sometime. Maybe dinner? If you’d like?” She twirls a strand of hair and smiles prettily.

He nods eagerly. “Oh yeah, that sounds great! Yeah, I-I’d love to! Newt’s good with animals, but his cooking...well.”

They laugh together. Queenie hears Newt grumbling under his breath and Tina coughing up her mocha in a fit of laughter.

“So, uh, when—when would you be free? For dinner?” Jacob asks nervously, his hand absently feeling around the bandage on his temple. “You could come over to our place...uh, Tina too! O’ course.” His eyes dart over to Newt and Tina’s table.

“That sounds good! How about...tomorrow? Does that work?” Queenie flutters her eyelashes and rests her cheek in her palm.

“Yeah, that’s...perfect.” Jacob grins.

“We’ll be there. Text me the details!”

They quickly exchange numbers before resuming their happy staring content.

Newt comments pointedly from behind them, “You’d think he’d at least  _ pretend _ to check with me, his roommate, about dinner guests, but alas.”

“I don’t recall agreeing either,” Tina mutters before clearing her throat loudly. “Stop flirting in public, Queenie! Don’t you have work to do?”

Queenie turns and pouts. “You’re no fun. All you and Newt do together is study. You should get to know each other on a more  _ personal  _ level!”

Tina and Newt stammer their incredulity. Queenie smirks and faces Jacob again. “I  _ guess _ I should get back to work. You’ll text me?”

“Yeah! Yeah, o’ course. You should—you should go do. Stuff. Yeah.”

She smiles and gets up, pecking him softly on the cheek. “See you later.”

**Author's Note:**

> "Hello!" I say as I tentatively step into the FBAWTFT fandom. "Please love me!"
> 
> (jk you don't have to love me but love my stories that would be great hahahhaa)
> 
> I saw the movie last week and I've been o b s e s s e d. I needed somewhere to expel all my feels, so despite my numerous WIPs for other fandoms, I surrendered to my muse and started this fic.
> 
> I've been an avid reader of HP fic for years (Dramione FTW), but this is my first foray into the Wizarding World as a writer. I hope you all enjoy this feel-good fic!
> 
> This is a modern!college!AU because 1) I love modern AUs, 2) I love college AUs, 3) I'm always too afraid of ruining the original world, and 4) I'm too lazy to do research (most of the time) on 1920's America and Britain. Oh, and no magic either, because I'd probably overuse it or mess up the spells or something, I dunno. (I do confess that I wanted to write about Newt's creatures, because they are ADORABLE, but...well, maybe in another story.)  
> This is not gonna be heavy or plotty; this story will be focused on the characters and their relationships. Chapter lengths will vary, but don't expect them to be too long.
> 
> Without further ado: onto the story!


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